The present invention relates generally to provision of electric energy to mobile users for sharing on commercial grounds.
Today, an increasing number of apparatuses and devices are powered by electricity. This, per se, creates a strong demand for reliable and efficient supply of electric power. Further, for most consumers, electric power is exclusively available at one single place, namely at the consumer's home, or the address associated with his/her electricity contract. Of course, this is a severe limitation, especially for electric-vehicle drivers who may want to travel a relatively long distance from a point A (say at his/her home) to a point B, where re-fuelling (or rather re-charging of batteries) may be required before continuing.
US 2013/0211885 describes an electricity transfer system, wherein an application programmable interface is configured to communicate with electric vehicle charging stations. The electric vehicle charging stations can be affiliated with an electricity transfer system network and/or the application programmable interface can be configured to administrate the electricity transfer system network. The electricity transfer system network computer system and/or the application programmable interface can be operated by an electricity transfer system network operator, and the electric vehicle charging stations can comprise a multi-use electric vehicle charging station of a private host. Meanwhile, the multi-use electric vehicle charging station is configured to operate in a private mode and a public mode. When the multi-use electric vehicle charging station operates in the private mode, the private host can establish who is able to use the multi-use electric vehicle charging station, and when the multi-use electric vehicle charging station operates in the public mode, the electricity transfer system network operator can establish who is able to use the multi-use electric vehicle charging station. The electricity transfer system network operator can offer one or more incentives to the private host when the multi-use electric vehicle charging station operates in the public mode.
US 2009/0210357 discloses a solution for remote power usage management for plug-in vehicles. Here, the charging of onboard energy storage systems of a plurality of plug-in vehicles is controlled using a remote command center. A system for directing the charging of a plurality of remotely located plug-in vehicles is provided. The system includes a communication system configured to transmit charging authorizations to charge each of the plurality of plug-in vehicles and to receive data related to power consumption from each of the plurality of plug-in vehicles. The system also includes a controller communicatively coupled to the communication system and configured to receive the data related to power consumption and to direct the charge authorizations based thereon. A database is also included in the system and is communicatively coupled to the controller, with the database configured to store the data related to power consumption.
WO 2011/094627 reveals an electric vehicle charging station network, which includes multiple electric vehicle charging stations belonging to multiple charging station hosts. Each host controls one or more charging stations. A charging station network server provides an interface that allows each of the hosts to define one or more pricing specifications for charging electric vehicles on one or more of their electric vehicle charging stations belonging to that host. The pricing specifications are applied to the charging stations such that a cost of charging electric vehicles using those charging stations is calculated according to the pricing specifications.
WO 2011/021973 describes a solution for receiving electricity from an electrical outlet, wherein a pair of receiving entity and power outlet are identified and transmitted to a central system node of an electrical system. In response to the transmission electrical energy can be received from the electrical outlet and billed to the receiving entity. In other words, a single dedicated interface is here provided for control and receiving electricity.
Thus, various solutions exist for selling electric power to electric-car users. However, these solutions are relatively complex and inflexible, particularly in terms of rendering the distribution system available for new customers in a convenient manner. Moreover, none of the known solutions provides an interface to the control server, which enables new suppliers to be added by simple means.